Monthly Archives: December 2013

In every dramatic fashionista’s past or future lies artistic tendencies. Perhaps this inner artist is deeply hidden, but she comes out to play when the dramatic walks into her closet…or dressing room…or that floor of the house that contains all of her beautification paraphernalia.

Is it clear that I am closely related to one of these?

My all-time favorite dramatic…

For the dramatic, dressing herself—be it her face or her body—is an event. Of all the personalities, perhaps hers shines through the most visibly. Her whole aura shouts, “May I have your attention please?” And when you acquiesce, her heart smiles, for she loves attention.

Some characteristics of this fashionista’s wardrobe include:
*Drama (well??)
*Bold colors and/or prints
*Sparkles, glitter, gems, and jewels
*Bold accessories: jewelry, handbags, shoes, belts—anything you can think of, make it big and make it bold!

…and her shoes

A note to those of you who fall into this category: you can be kind of intimidating. Since you tend to be above average height (5’7” or more–before the six-inch heels) and have the personality to match your style, those of us who are more vanilla and less gutsy can feel lost in your presence. Just be real so we know you have flaws like the rest of us.

And for those of us who don’t, here’s a tip I began trying years ago. Since bracelets are the sign of an outgoing personality, stack ‘em up your arm. The louder (literally and visually), the better. It’s my jewelry version of fake it till you make it.

So…what makes up the romantic fashionista? And why, exactly, do we use that word: romantic?

Well, if you’d like a five-second history lesson, it stems from the romantic period (roughly 1825-1875) when aesthetic beauty was highly prized and artwork needed to be emotionally expressive. Much of the more widely enjoyed “classical” music stems from this period, with composers like Chopin, Verdi, Mendelsohn, and even some of Beethoven’s later works, falling into this category. Feeling, feeling,feeling.

If you’re a romantic fashion personality, many (or all) of the following have a prominent place in your wardrobe:
*Ruffles or bows
*Lace
*Feminine/flowing lines
*Floral prints
*A preference for dresses
*Abundant accessories: jewelry, scarves, hats, perhaps some gloves

Pink Ice ring

Do you lean towards necklaces and/or rings? That’s a sign that you’re both a romantic and sentimental—in a good way. Just because some of you out there completely embrace your feminity, it doesn’t mean you’re any less powerful than the rest of us. Some of the truest romantics I know have dealt with some pretty tough stuff in the past. You feel things deeply, and when the time is right and it will benefit someone else, you’re willing to share your story.

What’s your personality? Do you think it’s possible for someone to guess just by looking at you? It could be! So what are your wardrobe and accessories telling people about you?

There are four basic fashion personality types, but before introducing them, I think it bears noting—as with all “typing,” there are no hard and fast boundaries. Surely you’ve met an introvert or two who was incredibly outgoing, or an extravert who loved being alone. The same goes for fashion—know thyself, and then spice up your look with a bit of this and that for fun. And that’s not all. If you choose to get really nitpicky, there could be dozens of fashion categories, but to keep it simple, I’m going to stick with the main four.

So. The four categories are:

Romantic. Think lace, pearls (although those can move into classic, too), ruffles—all things girly and feminine. Graceful, but in a milder way than our classic counterpart. The romantic personality might lean more towards estate jewelry, vintage looks, and the like. Romantics make us feel pampered and ladylike when we’re around them, because they embrace their femininity and draw out our own.

Dramatic. Heh heh heh. Does this really require description? Bold, bold, BOLD. Eye-catching, modern and trendy. The dramatic personality dresses for fun and attention. You know who you are, and the rest of us know who you are, and—I’ll say it—we’re a little bit jealous of you. We want to be like you, but when we try it just doesn’t feel right. Ugh.

Classic. Ahhhh. Audrey Hepburn. Princess Kate. The classic woman tends to stick with the basic, time-honored styles with few deviations, so she always looks in style. Her accessories are always just right. We kind of hate her for being so perfect, but she’s perfectly classic, so we can’t.

Natural. Now for my natural friends, you’re just so comfy and safe! Sometimes you’re borderline bohemian and sometimes you’re more casual or sporty, but you never overdo it. You don’t want your clothes or accessories getting in the way of life. You like to be comfortable and want to live a normal life in normal clothing. No fru-fru for you. Comfy, practical clothes to match your comfy, practical life, as opposed to those of us who must strip out of our day clothes and don sweatpants to watch TV with the family.

And those, my friends, are the bare-bone-basics. Next week I’ll begin delving more deeply into these four great categories, along with some accessorizing tips for each one. But if you have any secrets or want to share your personality, please comment and share with us all.